What if Darth Vader Wasn't There? (FULL)
by Captain Sassy123
Summary: A three chapter story telling of what would happen if Anakin died on Mustafar.


Prologue

"Don't try it." Anakin tried it anyways and flipped to the bank, where Obi-Wan's lightsaber was there to meet him. Anakin then tumbled down the hill, next to the lava. He look around to make sure he didn't fall in, only to realize, he had lost his legs. He looked up to Obi-Wan with hatred as he scolded him. But his scolding quickly turned into remorse. Anakin then felt what was left of his legs catch on fire. He yelled in pain as the fire caught to the rest of his body. He screamed as Obi-Wan took his old friend's lightsaber from the ground, and walked off, trying not to look back.

Anakin still tried to climb, but the fire hurt him. He tried crawling, but he just couldn't. That's when his master, Sidious, or now known as Emperor Palpatine, showed up with two stormtroopers, telling them to get medical supplies. But it was faded, and the words didn't connect with his brain. The new Emperor then kneeled next to his body, as he looked up at the ash filled air in the sky. He closed his eyes, as his body slowly disappeared into the Force, Anakin was gone. The Emperor felt weak that he couldn't finish off Yoda earlier and make it here quicker to save his apprentice.

Obi-Wan and Yoda then separated the twins, one on Tatooine, and the other on Alderaan. Yoda went into hiding on Dagobah, and Obi-Wan to Tatooine, to look after the boy. Palpatine was then left to look after his entire Imperial army, the Jedi were extinct, and he was ruler of the galaxy. Only, he had to do it alone. From Rogue One's last stand, to the Battle of Endor, what if Darth Vader wasn't there?

Chapter One:

19 Years Passed. The Death Star had been finished. The Emperor now had everything he needed to rule the galaxy. Of course, having Lord Vader by his side would be nice, but he was weak to have been killed by his Jedi master. The old man. Both children that were separated had grown up. The "old Jedi master" was looking over the boy, as the girl helped the Rebellion, fight against Palpatine's evil authority. They were labeled as terrorists. But they didn't care. Strong fighters like the girl, Princess Leia, wanted to keep fighting until the Emperor was taken off his throne. While the other Rebels were skeptical. They were thinking if all this fighting was really worth it.

Then a ship started to take off from the hangar of Yavin IV. The only ID they gave was one of "Rogue One." The Rebel ships then followed it to the Imperial planet, of Scarif. A battle started with X-Wings and Y-Wings everywhere. One brave Rebel ship crashed into a massive Imperial stardestroyer, which in cause then crashed into another, which then crashed through the shield protecting the planet. One Rebel ship then got transmissions from Scarif. The Death Star plans. Rogue One did it.

The Rebel leader was about to call a ship to pick them up. "Sir, there's a massive object emerging from hyperspace." They looked over the horizon of the planet, and saw the terrifying Death Star. "You may fire when ready." Grand Moff Tarkin's first priority was to destroy that base. The Death Star fired, and a massive explosion ended the base on Scarif, and everyone on it. "Rogue One, may the Force be with You." The Rebel leader then sent the transmission to many other ships. Just in case. They all typed in the coordinates for Yavin IV on the consoles of their ships, and went into hyperspace, with no stardestroyer in their way.

Back on Yavin IV, most of the Rebels were ready to start a fight. As they discussed these new plans, Princess Leia left to go recruit Ben Kenobi for their fight. She made her way to Tatooine and eventually found him. Of course he agreed to go with her to the Rebellion, but he needed to take a few things. He then came back with a few belongings, an old lightsaber, and a boy. The boy looked confused. "Now who's this?"

"That's not important. What is important is that we get you to the Rebellion." Ben replied.

"I'm not too sure about this. I mean yeah, I would want to get off this rock and fight against the Empire, like Biggs and Wedge, but I have to stay with my Uncle and Aunt, don't I?"

"Luke, soon you'll realize you have a big part of this large world. We have a mission, and you must help us."

"And why not anyone else?"

"You will find out soon enough. Please."

The boy reluctantly agreed and Leia took them all to Yavin. Luke was amazed at all the ships. There he met up with Biggs and Wedge. But reunions were cut short when he had to look over the Death Star plans. Everyone got ready for the attack, as Ben started teaching Luke about the Force, and gave him his father's lightsaber. Eventually, the Wings flew up into the sky to face the Death Star, as Ben, Leia, and the two droids he met on the ship, C-3PO and R2-D2 stood around the console, waiting to guide them through the attack.

A lot of men there died. Shot down by the cannons and the TIE fighters. But Luke followed Ben's instructions from back on Yavin and trusted his feelings. He acted on instinct. He shot down a couple of TIE fighters. Red Leader was shot down. That instilled fear in Luke instantly. Ben said to let it go, and it was Luke's turn to take a shot at that weakness down the trench. Luke got his torpedoes ready as Biggs helped keep TIE fighters and cannons off his back. Luke concentrated hard and took aim. He fired, as the torpedoes went in. Luke took a big breath and told all Wings to get as far away as you can. It was going to blow. Luke, Biggs, Wedge, and the other Wings flew away as the Death Star blew up, with Tarkin inside. The Rebels celebrated.

"Good job, Luke! I told you to trust your feelings."

Luke could still hear Ben even through the cheering back at Yavin.

"Thanks, Ben."

"Remember, the Force will be with you. Always."

Chapter Two:

Over the next few years, the Rebels attack several Imperial bases, and set up some new ones on other planets. The Emperor, who was too busy dissolving the Imperial Senate to be on the Death Star, was furious and ordered his men to work nonstop to try and find those Rebels, and to bring them to him. Luke had become a Rebel, And for some reason, he felt some kind of connection to Leia. And for some reason, Leia felt one back.

They took a big risk for this next attack, and decided to launch an assault on Coruscant. The home base of the Emperor. They launched the assault, and were successful. Thank the Force. When they got back, they celebrated again, as they then heard some beeping on their consoles. They checked, and found out that there was a large ship just above Yavin. A super stardestroyer. They tracked them back to their base. And they weren't leaving without prisoners.

The brave Rebels then arranged an evacuation ship, which would take Ben, Leia, C-3PO, R2-D2, Admiral Ackbar, Mon Mothma, and a few other Rebel leaders off the planet. Some Rebels stayed behind to escort it, as a fleet of X-Wings and Y-Wings attacked the super stardestroyer. One of those X-Wing pilots was Luke. They attacked the TIE fighters and the cannons, but a normal stardestroyer was already too much for an X-Wing, let alone a super stardestroyer. In the battle, Biggs is shot at and killed. Many other Wings retreat, and Luke reluctantly agrees.

They send many Imperial troops down onto the ground of Yavin to storm the Rebel bases and capture anyone who was left behind. Leia and Ben witness this from above as the evacuation ship takes off from the other side of the planet. It's time to go to Hoth. The other secure Rebel base. That's when another stardestroyer comes out of lightspeed on the other side of the planet. The Emperor had all angles covered, and is waiting for his prisoners on board the stardestroyer right in front of the Rebels. "It's a trap!"

The evacuation ship tries to get away as it gets chased throughout space by the stardestroyer. Although damaged, the evacuation ship is able to go to lightspeed, and escape. But not before the Emperor sent out a probe droid to drop a tracker. As Luke, Wedge, and a couple other pilots retreat, Luke gets a message from Ben. He tells him that he needs to finish his training. He should go to the Dagobah system. There he will find another Jedi master waiting for him, that can complete his training, and help him become a Jedi. Luke agrees, and goes on his own on a long, long journey.

The damaged evacuation ship lands and the Rebels step out and hide in the Hoth base. As they get more weapons and more troops, they finally relax after the attack that nearly cost them their lives. But this doesn't last long as they hear a rumble. They look outside and see several AT-AT's marching towards the base. Several troops run up to Princess Leia and warn her. The Empire is here. The planet is surrounded by stardestroyers. There's no way out.

Meanwhile, Luke lands on the swampy planet of Dagobah. He sets up camp, ready to look for this Jedi master in the morning. Or whenever he wakes up. It's hard to tell the time of day on this planet. He just wants to find this Jedi master as fast as possible. He doesn't admit it, but he's scared. "This wouldn't be half as bad if I, at least, had someone to talk to."

"Talk to me, you can."

This was it. Every single egg. In one basket. Surrounded by foxes. Leia tried to have another evacuation ship escape, holding Mon Mothma and a couple other Rebels and Rebel leaders. It was shot down and blown up. As troops moved inside the base and parts of it collapsed, Leia had to face the hard truth. The snowtroopers burst into the control room, and Leia, C-3PO, R2, and Admiral Ackbar, were all taken up to the super stardestroyer, and forced to wait in cells, until the Emperor was ready to see them.

He of course, asked to see Ben first. Ben was brought in handcuffs. Not afraid. The Emperor asked him about Skywalker. He said that Luke would be the one to bring him down. The Empire would fall, and there was nothing that he could do about it. The Emperor shook his head. He was asking about Luke's father. About how Ben murdered him. Ben spit back that he turned to the Dark Side. He didn't want to kill him but Yoda said he had no choice. The Emperor told him that that was the second apprentice of his he killed. He was not going to let that go. The Emperor was in charge of an entire army. Of an entire Empire. And the entire Rebellion, the only threats to his power were captured. He had won. Ben told him "Not yet." There is still one. One hope for the galaxy. Luke is training to become a Jedi, and when that happens, he would strike back, and take down this Empire. That he would not win.

"Neither will you."

With a simple poke, a jolt of the Dark Side of the Force carried through Ben's body, and Ben fell to the ground, and disappeared. Becoming one with the Force. The Emperor cackled. The Emperor asked to see the Rebel leaders, and Ackbar, Leia, and a couple others were brought in. The Emperor laughed at them. The Rebellion was over. He had won. But mid-speech, he felt something. He told his guards to take everyone back to their cells, except Leia. He sensed, Force sensitivity. This one was special.

Ben killed Maul, and Vader. Two of his apprentice's, and in doing so, resulted in the Emperor, gaining another.

Chapter Three:

It's dark. Everything around him smells bad. He ignores it, and moves on. He then stops, as he hears footsteps. Out steps a figure in dark robes. They cackle evilly. But he stand there. Unafraid. He closes his eyes, and feels out with the Force. They open their eyes, and the figure is gone. Luke steps out of the cave on Dagobah. "Well done. Very well done." Luke smiles. "You have passed the test." Yoda sits on a log, holding his cane. That night, Yoda decides to make some soup. "Become a Jedi, nearly you have."

"Well what else do I have to do?"

"Take down the Emperor. Take down the Emperor, you must."

"Master Yoda, how do I do that?"

Yoda ignores him and goes back to making some more soup. Luke looks down. In the morning, Luke looks at the cave. He feels proud he was finally able to beat the test. But he feels, something else. Like the cave is calling back to him again. He goes back inside. He sees the cloaked figure again. But instead of closing his eyes and rips off the hood. He sees Leia.

He marches over to Yoda. "Yoda!" He goes into his hut, only to find Yoda in his bed. Sick. Luke crouches next to him. "Yoda? Are you alright?" Yoda coughs. "Yoda..." "Sick, am I. Sleep...I must."

"Master Yoda, you can't die. How do I take down the Empire?"

"The Empire, is not your problem. It's...Leia."

"I saw her as the cloaked figure in the cave. What did it mean?"

"...captured...by the Emperor, she was."

"What?"

"Turned to the Dark Side."

"No. She couldn't."

"The Emperor...killed...Ben. Over, the Rebellion was."

Luke stares at Yoda. Why couldn't he have heard earlier? He could've saved them. Yoda then turns to Luke and stares at him.

"Your sister...she is."

Speaking of things Luke wish he could've been told earlier...

"You must save her...take down the Emperor...the Empire...please."  
"But I don't know how!"

"Confront him. Building a second Death Star...he is. Do not...underestimate, the full, power...of the Emperor..."

"But I need your help!"

"Help you, I can't. When gone, am I...the last of the Jedi will you be..."

"Yoda..."

Yoda closes his eyes and falls asleep. He disappears and is one with the Force. Luke looks down at the floor.

Meanwhile, the Emperor has ordered the termination of his Rebel prisoners. He no longer needs them. That's when Luke shows up, in a stolen Imperial shuttle, and lands inside the super stardestroyer. Disguised as an Imperial officer, he goes to the detention level, to meet the Rebel prisoners. But the Emperor senses this. He contacts his men, telling them to be on the lookout for a Jedi spy. As Luke takes the prisoners to the termination chamber, he is stopped by stormtroopers. They say they'll take it over from here. More stormtroopers come in. "What's going on here?"

"We're just taking these prisoners to termination."

"Well the Emperor sent US to take them to termination."

Luke looks confused. That's when the stormtroopers open fire on each other. Luke and the prisoners duck out of the way. Luke pulls out his father's lightsaber and ignites it. He jumps into the blaster battle and starts chopping up the stormtroopers who were sent for the termination. He then turns to the troopers who opened fire. "WAIT! WAIT! WAIT! Wait! We're not troopers!" Luke looks even more confused when the stormtrooper takes off his mask. "Wedge?"

"Wedge, what're you doing here?"

"We're here to free the Rebels!"

"We?"

The stormtroopers take off their helmets and reveal that they were the X-Wing pilots who got away. "Captain Antilles?"

"Yes."

"Okay...okay, I think I've got a plan."

The Imperial Shuttle then takes off from the super stardestroyer and down to the planet of Endor. The Emperor sees this. He contacts his men. "Admiral Ossel, have you let any ships down to Endor." … "No sir." Then the Emperor hears some beeping from a console on the Death Star. Admiral Ossel calls back. "The shield protecting the Death Star is down!" "What?" The Emperor looks out the window of his throne room and sees several TIE fighters and the Imperial Shuttle fly up from Endor all firing lasers at the Death Star. "So...the Rebels though to fight back."

"Rebel scum."

The Emperor turns around and sees his new apprentice: Leia.

"I will deal with them."

"You're going to have to go through me first."

She turns around and sees Luke enter the room. "How foolish you are. You have not had a master who opened your eyes. You still think that Rebel cause is worth fighting for?!"

"I believe in the Light Side of the Force. Not the Dark Side. I have come here to save you. And topple the Emperor."

Leia then steps out of the way and presents the Emperor sitting in his throne. "Okay boy. Strike me down. Strike me down with all of your HATRED, and your journey towards the Dark Side will be complete!" Luke tightens his grip around his lightsaber. "No. I am here to take down the Empire. Not to become an agent of evil."

"I sense the anger in you, boy. You just need to let it out, and you will become my apprentice. And we will rule this galaxy together."

"Never."

Leia then ignites her red lightsaber and pounces on Luke. Luke ignites his and blocks her strike. They clash, and have a duel before the Emperor, to see who will become his apprentice. Luke tries to bring Leia back from the Dark Side, but he resists, and continues fighting. Luke has control of his fear and anger, allowing him to get the drop on Leia, and he's able to strike and injure her. She yells, and grows more angry, and she uses that anger to attack Luke. Luke is forced to back up, as Leia starts to win. She then gets Luke in a corner and chops off his hand. Luke yells as Leia has him beat. The Emperor laughs.

"I must say, I'm disappointed. Skywalker has control of his rage...destroy him."

"Yes, my master."

"Leia...you can't."

"I will."

"But...you cannot kill your brother."

"What?"

"You are my sister. We were twins."

"He's lying. Kill him now."

Leia looks at Luke. Luke looks back at Leia.

"Search your feelings. You know it be true."

Leia growls at him.

"I know you feel love for your own sibling and that love will not let you bring yourself to kill your brother. Please Leia. Listen."

"DO IT."

Leia cringes at the thought.

"I can't."

She puts away her lightsaber and helps Luke up. The Emperor growls at them. Leia moves forward towards him.

"You failed your highness. I am no longer a Sith. I am a Jedi. Like my brother."

"So be it...Jedi."

Meanwhile, the TIE fighters with the Rebels make their way inside the second Death Star and move through the inner workings of the Death Star, nearly making it to the reactor. Then the Emperor fires lightning from his fingers, and electrocutes both Leia and Luke. They yell in pain.

"You both will pay the price for your lack of vision."

"And now, young Skywalkers...you will die."

That's when they all hear a loud sound. They all look around and the Emperor stops shocking them.

"The main reactor. The Rebellion has gotten to it by now. I guess your overconfidence was your weakness."

The Emperor growls and Force speeds out of the throne room to the nearest ship. Luke helps Leia up as they go into the elevator. They make their way to the hangar bay, with no ships left. They look out into space, with the Rebellion. Wedge, Captain Antilles, and a couple other Rebel pilots escape the Death Star and meet back up with the rest of the fleet as explosions pop out all around the Death Star. Luke and Leia sit down and look out.

Luke closes his eyes.

"I am one with the Force, and the Force is with me."

Leia sighs and joins him.

"I am one with the Force, and the Force is with me."

The fire from the explosion carries to every part of the Death Star and eventually makes its way to the hangar before the Death Star explodes. The Rebellion has toppled the Empire. The Rebels cheer and make their way to Endor to sort out where to go next. When they get down there, they realize that Luke and Leia never made it out. So during the celebration in their honor, they burn a pile of wood as a memorial and the smoke rises up into the sky.

They are one with the Force.

And the Force is with them.


End file.
